Life expectancy at birth, by sex in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Life expectancy at birth, by sex was 63.74 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
63.74 years
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
201st
of 236 countries
All-time high
63.74 years
in 2023
All-time low
34.25 years
in 1951
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Life expectancy at birth, by sex in Papua New Guinea, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2023, life expectancy at birth, by sex in Papua New Guinea stood at 63.74 years. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, by sex in Papua New Guinea peaked at 63.74 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 34.25 years, in 1951.
Papua New Guinea ranks 201st of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Life expectancy at birth, by sex in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 37.38 years | — |
| 1951 | 34.25 years | -8.4% |
| 1952 | 38.74 years | +13.1% |
| 1953 | 39.42 years | +1.8% |
| 1954 | 40.09 years | +1.7% |
| 1955 | 40.79 years | +1.7% |
| 1956 | 41.41 years | +1.5% |
| 1957 | 42.1 years | +1.6% |
| 1958 | 42.8 years | +1.7% |
| 1959 | 43.36 years | +1.3% |
| 1960 | 44.05 years | +1.6% |
| 1961 | 44.68 years | +1.4% |
| 1962 | 44.97 years | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 45.91 years | +2.1% |
| 1964 | 46.52 years | +1.3% |
| 1965 | 47.13 years | +1.3% |
| 1966 | 47.76 years | +1.3% |
| 1967 | 48.4 years | +1.4% |
| 1968 | 49.03 years | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 49.67 years | +1.3% |
| 1970 | 50.29 years | +1.3% |
| 1971 | 50.69 years | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 51.36 years | +1.3% |
| 1973 | 51.98 years | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 52.58 years | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 53.11 years | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 53.65 years | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 54.14 years | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 54.59 years | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 55.01 years | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 55.42 years | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 55.75 years | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 56.05 years | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 56.26 years | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 56.53 years | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 56.73 years | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 56.94 years | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 57.13 years | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 57.3 years | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 57.5 years | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 57.68 years | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 57.9 years | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 58.22 years | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 58.45 years | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 58.74 years | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 58.96 years | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 59.12 years | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 59.38 years | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 58.74 years | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 59.69 years | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 59.83 years | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 59.85 years | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 59.87 years | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 59.98 years | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 60.05 years | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 60.15 years | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 60.3 years | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 60.52 years | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 60.76 years | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 60.97 years | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 61.17 years | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 61.39 years | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 61.55 years | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 61.74 years | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 61.93 years | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 62.12 years | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 62.32 years | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 62.52 years | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 62.73 years | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 62.9 years | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 62.57 years | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 61.91 years | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 62.86 years | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 63.74 years | +1.4% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's 63.74 years is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 65.33 years, 98% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's 63.74 years is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 69.86 years, 91% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 40.03 years | 34.25 years | 43.36 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 46.81 years | 44.05 years | 49.67 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 52.74 years | 50.29 years | 55.01 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 56.56 years | 55.42 years | 57.5 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 58.69 years | 57.68 years | 59.69 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.23 years | 59.83 years | 60.97 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.04 years | 61.17 years | 62.9 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 62.77 years | 61.91 years | 63.74 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
More health data for Papua New Guinea
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.77 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.3741 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,127 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 2,501 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2023)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.27 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0555 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.2621 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth, by sex in Papua New Guinea?
- Life expectancy at birth, by sex in Papua New Guinea was 63.74 years in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth, by sex recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 63.74 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, by sex recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.25 years in 1951.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for life expectancy at birth, by sex?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 201st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth, by sex rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectancy at birth, by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Period life expectancy at birth.